Nurse struck off for ‘misconduct’

A nurse who failed to start resuscitating a patient after finding them unresponsive has been struck off.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has ruled that Susan Elizabeth Powell should be banned from the profession over failings while working at Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

The review hearing related to misconduct while the nurse was working on a night shift at the hospital in January, 2014.

An NMC panel proved a string of misconduct charges against Ms Powell in February, but her original weaker order has now been replaced with the ban. The hearing was told the nurse failed to initiate resuscitation of one patient, or make a crash call, after finding them unresponsive.

And just four days before the night shift, she had attended “resuscitation training”, the panel heard.

The NMC panel’s judgement said: “The panel determined that it was necessary to take action to prevent Ms Powell practising in the future and concluded that the only sanction that would adequately protect the public and serve the public interest is a striking-off order.”

She also failed to ensure four hourly observations were undertaken or recorded on the night shift, the hearing was told.

Other misconduct found proved included falsely telling the NHS trust she had passed certain qualifications. Ms Powell did not attend the hearing.

Her original conditions of practice order, imposed in February, was replaced with a striking off order.

The judgement added: “The panel noted that Ms Powell has not shown remorse for her misconduct.

Further Ms Powell has not provided documentation or evidence which demonstrates any insight into her previous failings.”